Members of the late playwright August Wilson's family and their allies called today for an investigation into how consideration of the historic designation of his boyhood home in the Hill District was delayed in Pittsburgh City Council until after a statutory deadline for a vote on the matter.

Council held a required public hearing on the proposed designation of the Bedford Avenue structure, and appeared to be moving toward a unanimous approval of the honor. That approval will come after deadlines outlined in city code have expired, though, which would normally mean the designation would be deemed denied.

Council President Doug Shields said the city Law Department has provided an opinion indicating that the denial need not occur because the delay was not the fault of the applicant, Paul Ellis, the nephew of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the Pittsburgh Cycle of plays.

"I think you'll have a unanimous vote, period," said Councilwoman Tonya Payne, who represents the Hill District.

Last year she chaired the committee that was charged with moving the designation legislation forward, and her office received several e-mails urging prompt action. But the designation was not introduced in council until this year.

Mr. Wilson's neice, Kimberly Ellis, and state Rep. Jake Wheatley's chief of staff were among several speakers who urged an investigation into the delay. Mr. Shields agreed that an inquiry would occur, starting at Wednesday's council meeting, when discussion of the designation and a tentative vote are set to occur.

Mr. Wheatley and Ms. Payne are in opposite camps in Hill District politics.

"It was a mistake," Ms. Payne said today of the delay. "I'm not the first and I won't be the last" to make a mistake in government, she said.

"I know there's no forgiving from my adversaries," she said. "An investigation, and all that, I'm not sure that's needed."